Short answer
Designers should consider how to integrate and support post-purchase circularity, particularly by appealing to social influences and perceived ease of action, and by recognizing the value of second-hand adoption as an indicator of sustainable intent.
- Field
- Sustainability
- Source
- Discover Sustainability (2025)
- Method
- Quantitative Survey and Statistical Modelling
- Sample
- 500 participants
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Consumers who actively choose second-hand fashion products demonstrate a greater propensity to engage in sustainable practices after the initial purchase, such as reusing, repairing, or recycling. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Discover Sustainability. Using Quantitative survey and statistical modelling with 500 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should consider how to integrate and support post-purchase circularity, particularly by appealing to social influences and perceived ease of action, and by recognizing the value of second-hand adoption as an indicator of sustainable intent.
Second-hand fashion consumers exhibit higher post-purchase sustainability intentions.
Consumers who actively choose second-hand fashion products demonstrate a greater propensity to engage in sustainable practices after the initial purchase, such as reusing, repairing, or recycling.
Discover Sustainability · 2025
Key Findings
- 01Consumers who purchase second-hand fashion are more likely to engage in sustainable post-purchase activities.
- 02Four distinct clusters of fashion consumers were identified based on their post-purchase behaviours.
- 03Attitudes have a minor influence on repairing and donating fashion items, while social norms and perceived behavioural control are more significant.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should consider how to integrate and support post-purchase circularity, particularly by appealing to social influences and perceived ease of action, and by recognizing the value of second-hand adoption as an indicator of sustainable intent.
How to apply
When designing fashion products or services, consider how to facilitate reuse, repair, and recycling. Market these features by highlighting what others are doing (social norms) and how easy it is to participate.
Project actions
- 01Consider how your design can encourage users to extend the life of a product.
- 02Investigate the social and practical barriers to sustainable product use and disposal.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Utilizes a robust theoretical framework (Theory of Planned Behaviour).
- +Employs advanced statistical methods (clustering and SEM) for in-depth analysis.
- +Investigates a critical aspect of the circular economy: post-purchase behaviour.
Limitations
The findings are specific to fashion textiles and may not apply to other product categories. The study's focus on Budapest might not reflect global consumer attitudes.
Reliability & validity
The study's reliability could be enhanced by using validated scales for TPB constructs. Validity is supported by the use of SEM, which models relationships between latent variables, and by the identification of distinct consumer clusters.
Think critically
How can designers create products and systems that not only encourage initial sustainable purchasing but also actively support and incentivize sustainable post-purchase behaviours, considering the influence of social norms and perceived control?
Design Principles
"Leverage existing sustainable behaviours and social influences to promote circular economy practices."
Understanding this consumer segment is vital for developing targeted strategies that promote circularity in the fashion industry. It highlights an existing behavioral pattern that can be leveraged to encourage broader adoption of sustainable post-purchase actions.
What This Means for Your Design
People who buy used clothes are more likely to do good things with their clothes afterwards, like fixing them or recycling them. What their friends think and whether it's easy to do these things matters more than just liking the idea.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify investigating consumer behaviours related to product longevity and disposal in your design project.
- 2.Cite this study when discussing the importance of social norms and perceived behavioural control in influencing sustainable design choices.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This study by Kemi and Zilahy (2025) highlights that consumers who engage with second-hand fashion products tend to exhibit stronger intentions for sustainable post-purchase behaviours, such as reuse, repair, and recycling. Their research indicates that social norms and perceived behavioural control are more influential drivers of these actions than personal attitudes, suggesting that design interventions should focus on facilitating these aspects to promote circularity.
Source
Discover Sustainability
Sustainable post-purchase behaviour of consumers of fashion textile products
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about second-hand fashion consumers exhibit higher post-purchase sustainability intentions?
- Designers should consider how to integrate and support post-purchase circularity, particularly by appealing to social influences and perceived ease of action, and by recognizing the value of second-hand adoption as an indicator of sustainable intent. Evidence: Discover Sustainability (2025).
- Why does "Second-hand fashion consumers exhibit higher post-purchase sustainability intentions." matter for design?
- Understanding this consumer segment is vital for developing targeted strategies that promote circularity in the fashion industry. It highlights an existing behavioral pattern that can be leveraged to encourage broader adoption of sustainable post-purchase actions.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should consider how to integrate and support post-purchase circularity, particularly by appealing to social influences and perceived ease of action, and by recognizing the value of second-hand adoption as an indicator of sustainable intent.
- What were the main findings?
- Consumers who purchase second-hand fashion are more likely to engage in sustainable post-purchase activities.. Four distinct clusters of fashion consumers were identified based on their post-purchase behaviours.. Attitudes have a minor influence on repairing and donating fashion items, while social norms and perceived behavioural control are more significant.
- What research method was used?
- Quantitative Survey and Statistical Modelling with 500 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2025 journal from Discover Sustainability.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing fashion products or services, consider how to facilitate reuse, repair, and recycling. Market these features by highlighting what others are doing (social norms) and how easy it is to participate.
- What are the limitations?
- The study was conducted in a specific geographic location (Budapest, Hungary), which may limit the generalizability of findings to other cultural contexts.